Baptism Gift Etiquette: Traditions and Expectations

Whether you’re a parent eagerly anticipating your child’s upcoming baptism, a church member extending a warm welcome to the newest addition, or a family member with different religious beliefs, one common thread unites you all. It’s the quest for answers to those fundamental questions about baptism etiquette: What’s the appropriate attire? What’s the best way to show your support? 

Although the specific customs may vary from one church to another, understanding the foundational rules of polite conduct during a baptism can bring clarity to your planning or attendance at this meaningful event. 

At the core of etiquette is the principle of thoughtfulness. By showing respect for the family’s faith, you’re making a heartfelt statement. Your very presence conveys gratitude for the invitation and a shared sense of joy in celebrating this momentous occasion in the new baby’s life. Yet, a considerate baptism gift can serve as a beautiful way to honor the sanctity of the event. 

Baptism Invitation Protocol

Invitations can be made formally, by telephone, or through email by the parents or godparents. It’s appropriate to extend an invite four weeks prior to the occasion so that family and friends have time to plan, especially if they need to travel. You should include an address and directions to the church and reception for those that may not be familiar with the area. 

You may also wish to include any information about your church’s customs that will help your guests of other faiths feel more at ease. 

If you’re a guest, it’s polite to RSVP to even an informal invitation. It’s helpful for the family to know how many seats to reserve at the church if necessary and plan for refreshments at the reception afterward.

Dress Code

Since most baptisms occur in churches, or after a church service, you’ll want to be respectful in choosing your attire. Dress as you would for a wedding, shower, or other special occasion. For men, this calls for a suit or sport coat and tie. For women, it means knee-length dresses or skirts, or business pantsuits. Also, women must have shoulders covered if they are entering a Catholic church. Unless the family specifies that your attire can be very informal, it’s not appropriate to wear jeans or miniskirts.

Baptism Gift ideas

It is considered good form to bring a gift, although you should wait until the reception following the service to present it. If you are only attending the service, you should send the gift to the family before or after the event. Appropriate gifts are usually religious in nature. You can find a variety of religious gifts ideas here. For example, mementos such as:

• a cross
• artwork with a religious theme
• a spiritual book

Silver is a traditional gift that represents a wish for prosperity. Simple but thoughtful silver gifts would be:

• an engraved silver spoon
• a silver cup
• a silver frame to hold a picture of the baptism

If you’re not religious yourself or don’t share the same faith, you could opt for a personalized gift such as:

• an engraved photo album
• a keepsake box
• a special blanket
• glassware with baptism date

You could also offer to bring food or dessert to the reception in lieu of a gift. Parents of the child might donate money to or provide the officiant with a gift. Even if this isn’t expected of the host family, a donation to the church is always appreciated.

Participation

Attendees who are not religious are not expected to participate in rituals or group movements. If you do wish to follow along, you can look at the booklet describing the order of the ritual, if one is provided. The main thing here is to show respect by dressing appropriately and remaining quiet. It also shows reverence for the occasion if you stand when requested, and sing along with the hymns.

Reception

After the baptism ceremony, many families have a reception. Since the main purpose is to celebrate the occasion and the child’s baptism, this doesn’t need to be an elaborate event. It can be held at your home with a casual potluck or finger foods.

Of course, if you want to go all out on the reception, you can certainly do that too. There’s no “right” way to host a baptism reception. The important thing is to have a joyous occasion on the child’s special day, and to make everyone feel welcome.

Comparison of Baptisms in Different Religions

If you haven’t been to many baptisms, you may be wondering what attendees or the person getting baptised does at different religious baptisms. Many baptism rituals involve the pouring or sprinkling of water over a person’s head in a Catholic church, or total immersion in water for those taking place outside of a church, for example, a beach setting.

This generally symbolizes a sign of one’s entrance into a church or acceptance of religion, and is in many cases considered necessary for salvation.

Baptism vs. Christening

In Catholicism, these two terms are often used interchangeably, but they are a little different. Christening refers to the naming ceremony while a baptism represents a child being received into the church. In some traditions, a christening is reserved for the baptism of infants.

A Christian baptism is done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a reenactment of the baptism by the Spirit which takes place in the book of First Corinthians. Christian baptism is a public profession of faith in which one is admitted into the fellowship of the church and a cleansing of one’s previous sins. This is also known as a believer’s baptism and takes place upon conversion into the faith, usually as an adult.

Opinions differ as to whether or not a baptism gift for an adult is expected, however, a thoughtful gift is never inappropriate. In this case, you may consider a memento such as a Christian book or a prayer journal.

Certain religions, such as Quaker, Unitarian and Christian Scientist, do not perform a baptism ritual. Others, like Baptist, Eastern Orthodox, and Jehovah’s Witnesses, do not baptize infants. In the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day saints, members are baptized at the age of eight.